‘Didn’t call Murdoch to declare war’
16 Jun 2012 9:03 AM GMT
Questioning media baron Rupert Murdoch's evidence, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Friday said that records released by the Cabinet Office confirmed that he did not call Murdoch to declare ‘war’ on News Corp.
In his evidence in April, Murdoch had told the Leveson Inquiry that Brown had declared ‘war’ on his company after The Sun declared its support for the Conservative party before the 2010 election. The Cabinet Office said there was no record of a call in September 2009, as alleged by Murdoch.
However, the two spoke to each other on the phone the following month about Afghanistan, it added.
Murdoch had quoted Brown as saying: ‘Well, your company has declared war on my government and we have no alternative but to make war on your company’.
He had added that Brown had not been in a ‘balanced state of mind’ when he made the phone call.
Brown repeated his denial about making the alleged call when he appeared before the inquiry on Monday: ‘This conversation never took place’.
Soon after his denial, News Corp said Murdoch stood by his version of events. Brown said: ‘I'm shocked and surprised that it should be suggested, even when there's no evidence of such a conversation, that it should have happened’.
In his evidence in April, Murdoch had told the Leveson Inquiry that Brown had declared ‘war’ on his company after The Sun declared its support for the Conservative party before the 2010 election. The Cabinet Office said there was no record of a call in September 2009, as alleged by Murdoch.
However, the two spoke to each other on the phone the following month about Afghanistan, it added.
Murdoch had quoted Brown as saying: ‘Well, your company has declared war on my government and we have no alternative but to make war on your company’.
He had added that Brown had not been in a ‘balanced state of mind’ when he made the phone call.
Brown repeated his denial about making the alleged call when he appeared before the inquiry on Monday: ‘This conversation never took place’.
Soon after his denial, News Corp said Murdoch stood by his version of events. Brown said: ‘I'm shocked and surprised that it should be suggested, even when there's no evidence of such a conversation, that it should have happened’.
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